Stadium chair



Feb. 15, 1955 J. E. BEARDsLl-:Y r-:T AL

STADIUM CHAIR Filed Feb. 9, 1954 Y.Joan E. Beards/ey Clarence .Beards/eyINVENTORS s.,

F ig. 3

United States Patent lice STADIUM CHA'IR Joan E. Beardsley and ClarenceL. 'Beartlsley, Cedar Rapids, Iowa Application February '9,19vs4,-'s`eria14N. 409,075

3 claims. (ci. A15s-:133)

The present invention relates to a chair attachment for benches orbleachers and the like.

The primary object of the invention is to prov1de a chair attachmentthat may be conveniently attached to benches, bleachers, picnic tableseats and the like to provide a more comfortable seating arrangementthereon.

A very important object of the invention is to prov1de .a collapsiblechair attachment which may be carried much as a suitcase or briefcaseand which is enabled to utilize the means for clamping the attachment toa bench or the like as the means for retaining the chair attachment inits collapsed position.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a collapsiblechair attachment capable of simple and economical production, of lightweight and which is very easy to collapse and set up for use.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the chair attachment attached to ableacher or bench in its open position;

Figure 2 is a perspective View of the attachment in its collapsedposition;

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the attachment in its collapsedposition, taken substantially along section line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the clamping means for clamping theattachment to a supporting surface and for locking the attachment in itscollapsed position;

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional View of the forward edge of the attachmentseat disclosing the disposition of the clamping means for mounting theattachment on a supporting surface, taken substantially along sectionline 5-5 of Figure l; and

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail view of one edge of the undersurface ofthe seat with the clamping means being attached thereto.

In the drawings, the attachment is designated in its entirety by thenumeral 10 and is seen to comprise a seat member 12 and a back member14. The lower edge of the back member is hingedly connected to the backedge of the seat member so that the back member 14 will collapse uponthe seat member 12 and may be swung outwardly therefrom lto openpostion, as shown in Figure l.

Flexible straps 16 extend between the side edges of the seat and backmembers 12 and 14, respectively, to limit the opening movement of theback member 14. Fasteners 1S secure one end portion of each strap 16 tothe side edge of the seat member intermediate the front and back edgesthereof, whereas fastener 19 secures the opposite end portion of eachstrap 16 to a side edge of the back member 14 intermediate the upper andlower edges thereof. The seat and back members 12 and 14, respectively,are of identical size and configuration so that the edges of thesemembers will be coplanar with one another when the attachment is in itscollapsed position, as shown in Figures 2 and 3.

The seat member 12 of the chair 10 comprises a rectangular frame 20 ofany suitable rigid material, such as wood, having a recessed area 22 onthe undersurface thereof. Leather, cloth, plastic or other suitablematerial 24 is stretched over the frame 20 and folded back Patented Feb.15, `1955 under the recessed area .22 of the frame. `Suitablesoftwadding or filler 26 is .then .placed within the frame a hard back Voryundersur'face `32 .has .its edge 1portions seating :in the recessedlarea 22 `around 'the undersurfaee of the frame and is suitably tackedor `otherwise.secured thereto. Thus, the soft waddingis yh eld betweentheseat covering and the seat fbacking .-24 and .32, respectively.

The seat back is of identical construction, Acomprising an open frame30, covering 34, wadding 56 land lhard back 38. n

To retain the Vseat in its :open post-ion on a-supporting structure landto retain the attachment .in `its collapsed position, ya lclampingrmeans 40 vis provided, the clamping means consisting -of 4'aU-shaped-clamping element :including the bight portion 42 and flanges 44and 46.

In collapsing the chair, the seat member 12 and the back member 14 arefolded into abutment with one another with the flexible strap 16 beingfolded inwardly to be received between the abutting surfaces of the seatand back members. i

To retain the chair in its collapsed position, the upper edge of theback member 14 is provided with an upwardly projecting turnlock 48adjacent each corner thereof. The bight portion 42 of each clampingelement 40 is provided with a longitudinal slot 50 through which theturnlock 48 extends, turning of the turnlock 48 after extension throughthe slot 50 clamping the bight portion 42 of the clamp 4i) to the upperedge of the back member. Flanges 46 and 44 of each clamping element 40straddle the seat and back members 12 and 14 and thereby retain them intheir collapsed position. Handle 52 is provided centrally of the upperedge of the back member 14 for carrying the attachment in its collapsedposition, much as a briefcase.

The backing member 32 forming the undersurface of the seat member 12 isprovided with a pair of longitudinally spaced downwardly dependingfastening elements 54 adjacent the forward edge thereof at each corner.

Flange 44 of the clamping element 40 is providedwth a pair oflongitudinally spaced L-shaped locking slots 56 opening into one edgethereof. To adapt the chair attachment for its seating position, theclamping elements 40 are removed from their position locking theattachment in collapsed position, and the flange 44 is secured .to thestuds or fastening elements 54 by way of the locking slots 56 and theattachment opened to its seating position. Then, the seat member 12 isslipped onto a bench or the like 58, as shown in Figure 1, with theclamping elements 40 having the anges thereof straddling the forwardedge portion of the bench to retain the seat thereon.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will bereadily understood and further eX- planation is believed to beunnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction shown and described, andaccordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resortedto, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

l.. A chair attachment for benches and the like comprising a seat and aback hingedly connected to one another for swinging movement from acollapsed position abutting one another to an open seating position,

and means selectively clamping said seat and back in collapsed positionand clamping said seat to a supporting structure when in open position,said clamping means including a U-shaped clamping element including abight portion and flanges, said flanges overlying said seat and backwhen in collapsed position, said bight portion straddling the edges ofsaid seat and back opposite the hinged edges thereof, the edge of saidback underlying said bight portion having a lock element projectingtherefrom, said bight portion having a slot therein receiving said lockelement for locking said clamping element thereto.

2. A chair attachment for benches and the like comprising a seat and aback hingedly connected to one another for swinging movement from acollapsed position abutting one another to an open seating position,

and means selectively clamping said seat and back in collapsed positionand clamping said seat to a supporting structure when in open position,a pair of fastening elements projecting from the undersurface of theseat adjacent the forward edge thereof, said clamping means including aU-shaped clamping element having a bight portionrand anges, one of saidanges having a pair of locking slots opening into one side thereofreceiving said fastening elements whereby the clamping element may clampthe seat to a supporting structure.

3. A chair attachment for benches and the like cornprising a seat and aback hingedly connected to one another for swinging movement from acollapsed position abutting one another to an open seating position,

and means selectively clamping said seat and back in 15 collapsedposition and clamping said seat to a supporting structure when 1n openposition, a pair of fastening elements projecting from the undersurfaceof the seat ad- References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATESPATENTS 1,356,493 Kerr, sr. ocr. 19, 1920 2,239,669 Blake Apr. 29, 19412,466,361

Bjornskaas Apr. 5, 1949

